I stood over the hospital bed in the room behind the ER, sopping up blood as it streamed in ridiculous profusion from the crying baby's finger. We had been deposited in this room with no explanation, other than the child was very sick, and without further ado an iv was inserted into his tiny hand and we were removed to the waiting ward and told he was being admitted and I would have to stay. A nurse came and pricked his finger, leaving it without bandage and me to clean it up with whatever I had on hand and no explanations. This is not how I expected my weekend to pan out…
Barely 24 hours before, Bethany delivered this tiny bundle to me for weekend supervision. Little Abundance was the child of a Baby Safe client, who was sick and unable to cope. The 7 week baby was running a fever with thrush and diarrhea, so we took him into custody in order to give him focused care and his mama a chance to recover. He was tiny, having only gained one kg since birth; he had a talisman around his waist and a nasty egg solution in his hair from the cultic ritual used by the popular local Zionist "church" for protection. Together Bethany and I prayed protection, healing and favor over him and myself while binding the power and bondage of the enemy as we flushed the talisman. When she left I bathed him in the sink before enfolding him in a clean blanket and in my arms, where he stayed the majority of the weekend.
I think both the greatest challenge and the greatest privilege in this line of work lies in taking on the role of a temporary mother. I am never more tired, taxed, or more satisfied than when I take one of these little ones into my home. It proved no different with Abundance. The child of an ill and struggling mother, I new he didn't receive much personal touch and care, so when I wasn't attending to necessary tasks he was cradled in my arms. Restless with fever, he was most calm when sleeping on my chest, so most of the night was spent with his little face pressed against my heart. My waking, and even sleeping thoughts, were directed in prayer for his life and health. I spent Saturday in my pjs - praying, cuddling, listening to worship music, and visiting with my little companion.
But everything changed that afternoon. We knew the baby had a temperature and wanted to monitor it, so Alli purchased and brought me a thermometer late in the day. However, things were suddenly thrown into an entirely new light when the reading showed Abundance's fever had reached 39.6˚C (103.3˚F)! Without further ado, I packed him into my car and rushed to the nearest hospital. Thus began an entirely new aspect of my weekend.
Government hospitals are an experience unlike anything else and my first full-on encounter was no fun. By the grace of God we saw a doctor quickly, but I confess it felt like the grace ended there. Upon seeing Abundance he asked why the baby hadn't been brought sooner, then proceeded to hook up the iv, before having me carry the screaming baby into a back room where we were left and told we were admitted and would have to stay indefinitely. So there I was - no food, no bottle or extra baby things, no basic necessities, no information, blood everywhere, battery almost dead in my phone, and at my wits end! It's a humbling state to be in.
At that point Alli arrived. Having had more extensive experience (both in Africa and their hospitals :-) she was able to help me gain perspective and information, as well as give encouragement. Together we got things sorted out, and she stayed with Abundance while I went home to fetch all the necessary things for our stay. I returned to find them settled in the children's ward for the night, where I exchanged places with Alli and began my vigil.
Motherhood is not simple or romantic. I think it is one of the most difficult jobs there is. It is also one of the most rewarding. The ward was freezing - painfully so. I was given a hard chair by the baby's bed for the night, given the medication and informed when I was to administer it myself, instructed to wake up at 6am to tidy and arrange my space, and then to bathe the baby using my own products (the only ones I had not thought to bring) at 7am. By 11pm Abundance was restless and would not stop crying, and I was emotional and feeling nauseas with exhaustion.
We must have presented quite the picture; the single white American girl with the Zimbabwean baby, in a ward with Xhosa women and their children and colored nurses speaking Afrikaans, no clue what was going on or what to do next. Not surprisingly, my sense of humor wasn't kicking in at that point. To be perfectly frank, I was ready to be done. I was freaked out, angry at the whole situation, and irrationally impatient wishing the baby would just go to sleep! Holding Abundance and swaying back and forth, choking back my weeping, all I could manage to pray was, "God help… God help… God help…"
And He did.
Rocking my tiny charge, I remembered he rested much better skin to skin. Settling myself in the chair and holding him against my chest, my tee-shirt barely allowed room for his face below my neck, but it was enough. Within 10 minutes he was asleep, within 20 his restlessness stilled, and he slept without waking the remainder of the night. Peace stole over my own mind and heart. In that miserable chair and freezing room I managed to sleep myself. The following morning as I helped the nurses with their ministrations and proceeded to feed and care Abundance I was filled with the most extraordinary love and satisfaction. At 8 his mama arrived to take my place and remain with him at the hospital. Surrendering her baby, hugging, encouraging, and praying with her, I knew I would have stayed in a heartbeat.
You never know when you will encounter Jesus. But I can always count on Him when I am at my lowest point; when I am at my weakest, frailest, most selfish and human. 'And He has said to me, "My power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefor, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.' (2 Cor 12:9) Because in our weakest state, there is no other explanation but the power of His presence. And because of this I can be certain that whenever I lay hands on these little ones, they are touched by the very presence of God, through His presence and faithfulness to me.
